The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) issued a statement in response to Elon Musk claims that he intends to sue the ADL for defamation. The ADL also initiated a campaign asking that advertisers pause their Twitter spending until hate is dealt with on the platform.
In a seeming response to the ADL statement, Musk complained that the ADL had launched a campaign against "Twitter" which had resulted in US revenues for the site sinking 60%.
Jonathan at ADL kicked off a massive Twitter boycott campaign less than a week after the acquisition closed. Literally nothing had changed about the site. Our US revenue is still 60% down from that campaign, but slowly improving. pic.twitter.com/7vh5dtdDqi
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 6, 2023
ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt stated, in response to the suit that "[T]he real issue is neither ADL nor the threat of a frivolous lawsuit. This urgent matter is the safety of the Jewish people in the face of increasing, intensifying antisemitism."
"Musk is engaging with and elevating these antisemites at a time when ADL is tracking a surge of bomb threats and swatting attacks of synagogues and Jewish institutions, dramatic levels of antisemitic propaganda being littered throughout Jewish and non-Jewish residential communities, and extremists marching openly through the streets in Nazi gear.
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"All of this is happening in a context of the highest number of antisemitic incidents that ADL has tracked in more than 40 years - and just two weeks away from the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur," explained Greenblatt, referencing the impending Jewish High Holy Days.
"And so," the statement said, "[Elon's] behavior is not just alarming nor reckless. It is flat out dangerous and deeply irresponsible.”
The statement concluded, saying: “It is profoundly disturbing that Elon Musk spent the weekend engaging with a highly toxic, antisemitic campaign on his platform - a campaign started by an unrepentant bigot that then was heavily promoted by individuals such as white supremacist Nick Fuentes, Christian nationalist Andrew Torba, conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and others."
Elon Musk claims of defamation
Musk, on Tuesday, announced his plans to sue the ADL for defamation after the ADL took public issue with his tweet stating that "The ADL, because they are so aggressive in their demands to ban social media accounts for even minor infractions, are ironically the biggest generators of anti-Semitism on this platform!"
The ADL, because they are so aggressive in their demands to ban social media accounts for even minor infractions, are ironically the biggest generators of anti-Semitism on this platform!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 4, 2023
"To clear our platform’s name on the matter of anti-Semitism, it looks like we have no choice but to file a defamation lawsuit against the Anti-Defamation League … oh the irony!"
To clear our platform’s name on the matter of anti-Semitism, it looks like we have no choice but to file a defamation lawsuit against the Anti-Defamation League … oh the irony!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 4, 2023
Since the initial threat of a civil suit, Musk has taken aim at the ADL in a series of posts. In one such tweet, he reposted a link to an opinion piece published in NewsWeek entitled 'The ADL Has Lost Its Way. Elon Musk Is Right to Stand Up to Its Censorship'.
Good article https://t.co/8cRi66IQvR
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 6, 2023
In another tweet, Musk shared a NPR article from 2009 entitled 'Exploring The Politics Of 'Defamation' which features the Israeli flag and Jewish individuals in the cover.
Interesting documentaryhttps://t.co/W1tAOdEaqm
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 5, 2023